The issue of gay and lesbian marriage and families is a hotly debated topic. Everybody has an opinion most of these opinions are very strong which makes the subject almost impossible to discuss between those with opposing points of view.

The issue and beliefs about the homosexual community in general is further convoluted by social, political and religious views that go back centuries.

But if one was to look at the facts about gay and lesbian families scientifically and not from an emotional stand point and base their conclusions on what has been proven fact, and not just based on things believed to be fact, the topic may become much more acceptable for everyone.

To address this heated subject let’s look at the fundamental issues. First, What Is A Family? Second, What Is Marriage?

A family is different things to different people. To many it is mom, dad and brothers and sisters. To others it may be mom and grand mom. And still to others it may be the people that have raised you in foster care or simply your husband or wife.

When you stop and really try to define what a family is you realize that the term doesn’t fit into a net narrow package, so when people say that gay or lesbian couples shouldn’t be parenting children because it undermines the family structure, which structure of a family is being referred to?

Children need a stable family environment to thrive. They need to be loved and taught kindness and wrong from right. If this is accomplished does the type of family structure really matter the facts show that they don’t.

Recent conclusions based on studies of homosexual parenting show that there no significant differences in children raised b lesbian mothers’ verses heterosexual mothers.

The issue of gay marriage is at the forefront of today’s political topics. Again if the subject matter is looked at based on ascertainable factually information and not on emotion the proper conclusions can be drawn.

The act of “Marriage” is basically a legally binding agreement where two people commit to live their lives together and to be true to each other till death do they part. Now agreement is mostly to be thought of as a contract between a man and a woman but if you were a Mormon for instance it could be between a man and several women. Does that make it any less of a valid commitment?

Does Polygamy undermine the stability of a relationship or the development of the children being raised in this environment? What about children being raised by one parent or even no parents such as homeless children or those orphanages’?

The bottom line is if two human beings are committed to each other and to providing a loving environment for the children they raise will society be worse off or better off in the future?

With so many gay and lesbian personals and online dating sites to choose from, it could be difficult to know which ones are worth trying. So, to figure out which ones are worth their salt, it may be wise to browse the members of several sites before you start shelling out the cash for a premium membership. Gay and Lesbian personals and online dating sites feature profile areas where you need to list your personal information and make it available for other gay and lesbian singles. Provide a beneficial profile and choose to receive email notifications of new members matching your requirements, if it is possible. Visit the links to websites a lot and dig into any trial membership you can get your hands on. You see, websites for gay and lesbian online dating personals have replaced the more conventional ways of meeting other gay and lesbian singles for a lot of successful couples: dating relationships, marriages and partnerships. Your life partner could be out there right now!

Typical Membership Structure of Gay and Lesbian Personals Sites

Some gay and lesbian personals and online dating sites target different markets, so a market, for example, that is aimed at banking professionals will likely charge more than a conventional web site centered on the majority of people.

Try to check out what each separate site has to offer, and discover what kind of people frequent each site. For instance, there are online dating sites that target African Amercians, pet lovers, single parents and so on…

Make sure you compare the benefits of each site you add to your “Favorites List”.. Cost should not be the only factor you consider. Consider if the site offers a trial membership, and if so, how long does the trial last. How many members actually match your criteria when you do your initial search? You don’t want to join a site that has a low pool of members from which to select. You need a big pond to fish in if you plan on finding that special someone.. Consider joining 2 dating sites instead of limiting yourself to just one.. You want to make sure you cast a wide net. Even if you just get the free memberships on multiple sites, it will help you attract the interest of members… then you can decide to join up when someone catches your attention and you actually want to get in contact with them

Remember, though, when you are dealing with gay and lesbian online dating sites, sometimes your end results will be determined by how much effort you actually put into it. Put a little thought behind your profile.. Be specific about what you are looking for and what makes you a good catch. Be honest about the type of relationship you are looking for.

Also, make sure you get a picture and post it with your profile.. Honestly, do you check out profiles with no pic? And even if you do find a profile without a picture that appeals to you, what’s the first thing most people do? Ask for a picture! It doesn’t have to be a professional photo, just one that captures who you are.. and remember to SMILE!

Are you ready to get out there and give the virtual dating world a try?

Maybe she DID have her own opinoin, but it was dumb how she told the world she didn’t believe in same sex marriage, and knowing that there are obviously people out there who are gay, AND also knowing the judge asking that question is gay !
I don’t think it’s fair if someone was born gay, and in their state, they were not allowed to have same sex marriage, so what are they suppose to do? Have no love? You can’t force them to fall in love with a woman.

What do you think?About the Author: Read more about this and other topics related to music blog

Getting married is something most of us end up doing once or twice in our lives and it is certainly one of the biggest decisions we will ever make. Below we look at ten facts about marriage.

1. The origins of marriage are unclear. Men and women have been pairing up in monogamous relationships since the days of the Caveman, where the hunter/gatherer provided for the family and his partner cared raised their young and cared for the dwelling. In later days, the concept of legal marriage was created as a social institution.

2. In days of old and indeed in some parts of the world today, the concept of dowry in marriage still exists. Dowry is the payment of cash or kind to the family of the bride in exchange for the “loss” of their daughter. This system is most common among Islamic traditions. In Hindu traditions, in India, dowry is paid to the family of the groom.

3. Marriage is binding for the most part, but each religion and the law of the land tend to differ on the grounds for dissolving the union. In Roman Catholic marriages, the marriage is binding and can only be dissolved through the lengthy process of annulment. In other Christian marriages, divorce is acceptable under various conditions. In Islamic tradition, a marriage is considered dissolved if one partner declares the word “talak” three times to the spouse in the presence of witnesses. In the United States, the law concerning divorce statutes differs across each of the states. While it may be possible to dissolve a union within one day in Las Vegas, Nevada, it may be several months before the same is possible in the state of California.

4. Gay marriage has long been considered taboo and still is in many parts of the world. However, there are a number of places, such as California and Massachusetts in the United States as well as Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Canada, South Africa, and Norway.

5. Many couples who wish to elope think about exchanging their vows in a foreign country. However, they often find their romantic dreams falling through when residency requirements arise. Few countries around the world, such as Canada and Thailand, don’t require the couple to be a resident in order to receive a marriage certificate.

6. A British couple, Percy and Florence Arrowsmith held the record for the longest lasting marriage in the Guinness Book of World Records. The marriage lasted 80 years before the death of Percy Arrowsmith, aged 105, in mid 2005.

7. Celebrity marriages are known to be short, but some of them surprise us all with their brief tenures. The shortest celebrity marriage has to be Robin Givens short-lived marriage bliss to Svetozar Marinkovic, who separated on the same day as the wedding. Closely following them is Britney Spears and her 55 hour marriage to childhood friend Jason Alexander.

8. The age of consent to marriage differs around the world according to local customs. Even in the United States, each state has its own law on the legal age of consent. Those under the legal age may still be eligible for marriage so long as they are given signed parental consent. In other parts of the world, marriages can be arranged or individuals betrothed from birth. Oftentimes, these marriages are only legalized and the bride moves into the groom’s home after they both reach the age of consent. In tribal situations, however, it is common for children to be married young, and there are some Islamic traditions that allow for a girl to be married as soon as she has her menses.

9. Although Christian tradition, and in some cases, the law of the land, insists upon monogamy in a marriage, a number of customs and practices prevail that permit a man to have more than one wife. For example, in Hindu customs, it is permissible for a man to take a second wife, while in Islamic tradition, a man may take as many as four wives, so long as he provides for each of them equally. The concept of polygamy has increased in popularity in developed countries recently.

10. As cross cultural borders have been squashed by the advent of the Internet, there has been increasing interest in online relationships, adding yet another dimension to the concept of mail order brides. Prior to the Internet, women from developing countries would advertise their availability for marriage in special catalogues or through international marriage agencies. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services has acknowledged that marriages that result from these services tend to have a lower divorce rate than the rest of the nation.About the Author: Read more about this and other topics related to cookie favors

Homosexual couples adopting babies has always been a very controversial topic. Some people fear that gay couples cannot give a ?normal? environment in which to properly raise a child. Some also question the effect of what is considered an abnormal set up to the well-being of a child.

Secret Adoptions

Homosexuals have been adopting babies for a long time. However, up until recently, they have all been done in secret. They had to keep their adoptions clandestine because of the way society feels about gays adopting. Gay couples used to lie in order to be allowed to adopt. Usually, one member of the couple will adopt a baby and say that the other person was only a friend or roommate. What they were doing was illegal since it is against the law to lie in an adoption application. This is considered fraud, and if they get caught, the adoption may become void, and possible criminal charges may be filed.

Legality of Gay Adoption

Today, only one state still has a law that bans homosexuals from adopting babies. In the entire United States, Florida is the only state that outlaws gay adoption. Nine states allow gays to openly adopt as a couple, while in the other states, only one member of the couple is allowed to adopt the baby. After the adoption is finalized, the second member of the couple can then apply to become the second parent. This is the only way homosexuals can legally adopt in those states.

Fears

Many organizations have done research on the effects of children being raised by same-sex couples, and the results are mostly unfavorable to homosexuals. But gay advocate groups contend that the studies are generally unreliable and biased, depending on who conducted the research. Gay and lesbian groups have produced favorable results in their studies, while religious and conservative groups insist on the negative effects of gay adoption on a child. Experts now say considering the strong feelings people have, it is nearly impossible to have an objective study on this topic.Read more about this and other topics related to sell wedding supplies

All I hear from that side is that it’s against the teachings in the Bible and against tradition, but I feel that is way too subjective. They must have some more substantial reasons to oppose gay marriage, because personally I feel denying someone the right to marry is taking away an American right.
OK, since we have some finicky commenters, let me reiterate…

I think it’s an American right to be able to marry whomever you want.
By “subjective” I mean that not all people believe in tradition and the Bible, so shouldn’t they be able to marry?About the Author: Read more about this and other topics related to recipe and cooking blog